Even if you’re only a little interested in fragrance, discovering a new perfume that you love is always a great feeling. As a beauty editor who tries lots of the latest fragrances for a living, I’ve recently been won over by a specific type of fragrance—green perfumes.
Both floral and fruity are very popular fragrance families when it comes to the best perfumes for women, but green perfumes can offer something a little different. They can be slightly floral, fruity or woody, but this isn’t the takeaway impression of these fragrances—actually, they tend to be fresh, grassy and/or herby. And if you’re somebody who likes to match their perfumes to the seasons, in my opinion nature-inspired fragrances work year-round.
Fragrances can affect our mood or remind us of a certain place or time (as these nostalgic perfumes prove) and to that end, green scents can be extremely uplifting. After years of testing fragrance and trying some that are new to me in recent weeks, I deem the following green perfumes worth a try—from well-known luxurious fragrance houses to niche perfume brands.
8 of the best green perfumes
1. Frederic Malle Synthetic Jungle Eau de Parfum
You know that feeling when you smell a perfume that’s brand new to you, and it’s an instant hit? That was me when I first smelled Synthetic Jungle. A long-lasting perfume, the notes are all well-balanced (neither the basil nor the patchouli is overpowering) while the jasmine and lily of the valley don’t make the fragrance overtly floral. Green really is the best way of describing it. It’s a new favourite.
2. Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Parfum
A Diptyque best-seller, Philosykos is inspired by a grove of wild fig trees—the name actually translates as “friend of the fig” in Greek. It’s another that I’d describe as well-balanced; the fig gives it freshness but is subtle, not sickly or overly sweet. Similarly it’s not an intensely woody perfume, but the cedar definitely comes through in the drydown.
3. & Other Stories Plants Illustrated Eau de Toilette
& Other Stories perfumes are well worth checking out. They’re extremely wearable and appeal to those on smaller budgets, not to mention the packaging is extremely chic. Plants Illustrated is one of the two newest additions to the line-up, billed as “taking your senses on a jungle stroll” with notes including pear, bamboo, papyrus and musk, among others. As an EDT it may not last quite as long as some other green fragrances, but the joy of affordable perfumes is that you’re less reluctant to reapply one that costs less than £30.
4. D.S. & Durga Coriander Eau de Parfum
Coriander is a contentious herb but, if you have an aversion to its presence in your food, don’t let that put you off this fragrance. It starts fairly punchily, with the aromatic notes really coming through, then the drydown is lovely—green, musky and a little woody. This makes for an extremely wearable scent.
5. Parfums de Marly Greenley Eau de Parfum
A luxurious take on green perfume, Greenley is extremely crisp. Opening with apple and cucumber that’s balanced with cashmere wood, it's fresh and uplifting. Then there’s the base of comforting oakmoss and musk, which give it longevity and, I think, make it a nice one for year-round wear.
6. Phlur Father Figure Eau de Parfum
You probably recognise Phlur from BeautyTok after Missing Person achieved viral fame, and it finally came to the UK last year. But that isn’t the only fragrance from the brand that’s worth checking out—Not Your Baby is one of my most complimented perfumes, while this one, Father Figure is a new addition for 2023. It’s kind of juicy with a little sweetness alongside the depth of musk and patchouli, making for a wearable crowd-pleaser.
7. Le Labo Baie 19 Eau de Parfum
Inspired by rainfall after a period of dryness (the brand notes that the perfume could have been called “Water 19”), Baie 19 has a kind of clean feel to it that makes you think of fresh and dewy mornings. Despite taking its name from the French for berry, it’s not obviously fruity, but has this kind of mouth-watering quality that really gets your attention. I liked it initially, but it's really grown on me.
8. Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte Eau de Parfum
Like a sunlit morning, Cristalle Eau Verte is very elegant. It’s crisp and fresh and initially quite citrusy (not something that I’m usually drawn to in fragrances I wear), but this wears into something that’s subtly green—I also think it would layer really well with other fragrances. If you’re looking for a nature-inspired perfume and know you gravitate towards citrus or floral perfumes, or both, this will be right up your street.
